Ariana Grande Is Billboard’s Woman Of The Year

She’s had one hell of a 12 months.

3 months ago

Billboard’s Woman of the Year, Ariana Grande, has had a tough one.

The superstar’s engagement had failed. The breakup occurred just over a month after her ex-boyfriend and musical collaborator, Mac Miller, died from an accidental overdose. The only place for Grande to go was up. And she has.

During the middle of a whirlwind promotional tour for her fourth album Sweetener, her third No. 1 on the Billboard 200 which produced two top 10 singles, Grande was in love and living with Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson. The couple was all over social media and in the headlines, their every move documented by Grande’s legion of fans. When the singer received news about the death of her ex Mac Miller, a musician who died from a drug overdose, the singer was devastated. In short order, she split with Davidson.

Grande spent all of her time in the studio across the street from her NYC apartment, writing late into the night with longtime friend and producer Tommy Brown. What came of those writing sessions is a No. 1 hit single, “Thank U, Next” (also the title of her forthcoming album).

“I can’t believe it but, like, so can,” Grande told Billboard. “It’s me and my besties tipsy off champagne — and me with a broken heart — just letting it out and having fun. I love this more than any other song I’ve ever put out.”